Meanwhile, On Reepor
by The What-If Writer
Summary: ONE-SHOT: A misfit night of a group of cragmites: One chilly evening on Reepor, a bunch of cragmites overlook the happens involving their new Emperor, and not all of them are without misgivings. (Experiment.)


_A little experiment with my cragmite oc's. Feedback is appreciated. :) _

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Meanwhile on Reepor

Reepor was dark almost all the time, but that doesn't mean you couldn't see.

The dim yet helpful light radiating off pathways, walls and machinery that had yet o be worn down by time flickered in the night; the green most-like clouds moving slowly past the stars, looking oddly out of place.

Down a rocky mountain road littered with dark, shrivelled plants and golden orbs encrusted into the wall, two figures pattered along without any unease in the gloomy surroundings.

The gooey sliding sound of the waterfalls of Reepor where joined by a deep, cheerful voice ringing through the night air.

"Dum dee dum, a dum dee dum, a dum dee dum-"

Then, a shriller voice joined into the odd, deep voice's beat.

"In Reepor, all dark and steep-or, the cragmites roam toniiiight-"

"Dum de dum-

"Back me up, Clogg, I can't hear ya!"

Two insect-like beings, though gigantic to their little counterparts, strode down the path on six peg-like legs. Dressed in bronze armour that looked like it had seen better days; with scraps of metal gathered in bundles strapped to their backs. One was long-faced and tall, with strange black hair flopped on one side and one eye covered by a simple black patch. He pattered along with a dance in his posture, nodded his head as he sang.

The cragmite hunter's, bulky companion behind him was bobbing his thick head from side to side, rumbling his background music with his eyes closed cheerfully.

"A dum dee dum, a dum dee dum-"

"Cuz' Upon Reepor, we slide and creep-or, so ya better get out, riggght?"

"Dum de dum de dum!"

Wilt the hunter halted his stride and swung his large gun over his shoulder, "And weeee..." He frowned and turned his head. "Clogg?"

The large cragmite in question was staring curiously down at the bare patch of land adjacent to the higher land they were on. Wilt, not bothering to look at what had distracted his companion, simply scoffed and moved back towards him.

"Clogg, Wilt to the dumb guy, helllooo?" He waved a hand in front of his face. Clogg blinked, watched the hand dimly then finally seemed to remember his friend was there. He smiled almost innocently down at him.

"Oh. Sorry."

Wilt promptly face-palmed, the slid his hand across his eyes to his head. "Ya goota be kiddin' me."

Clogg scratched his head blankly. "Am I kidding you? I wouldn't know."

BONK.

"Hey!"

THWACK.

And suddenly the two were having a bit of a fist-fight right in the middle of the path. But Wilt, despite his arsenal of snappy remarks and large gun, was simply no match for the giant warrior. After hitting him over the head, the angered Clogg had smacked him off the path and sent him tumbling down the steep slope.

"Ack!"

Wilt screwed his working eye shut as he slammed against the dirt ground, his arms and chest getting the worst of it. He rolled until he collided with flat land, lying on his stomach. He coughed loudly, his eyes filled with the dust from the soil.

"...Ow."

From above, Clogg seemed to have forgotten his anger. Though Wilt wouldn't exactly be surprised, and he grumbled to himself as he thought of it.

"Sorry!"

"Shuddup, Clogg. I think I swallowed half the soil there..."

"I see you two are still causing trouble all hours of the night."

The smoother, though uneven sounding voice finally made Wilt force his eye open. Standing over him was a much smaller hunter in a pilot hat and simple armour; a single gun that he knew he wasn't likely to use strapped to his back.

The younger cragmite crossed his arms and sighed. "Honestly, Wilt, You'll wake up half the planet."

Wilt scoffed and stood, dusting himself off and he glared at his younger brother. "Oh, cry me a river, Skeet. Ya act as if we'll be jailed if some cook loses some shut-eye."

Skeet muttered something about a certain someone already loosing an eye, one that would always be shut. Wilt shot him a quick, annoyed glance.

"He-lo."

Skeet looked away from his brother and waved halfheartedly at the approaching Clogg. "Hey..."

Wilt glared sourly at him, and for a minute he considered hitting the warrior again. Then he groaned and thought against it, rubbed his sore head. "Man, I've had better landings...Was this runt of mine the reason you zoned out, Clogg."

Skeet rose a hairless brow and looked up at Clogg curiously. The cragmite thought hard then shook his head. "Nope. I was starin' at the fish men and the spider thing."

If looks had names, the other two's would be: 'What?'

He noticed their wide-eyed looks and seemed to take the hint that they thought he'd gone loopy. So he beamed crookedly, then pointed a claw-like hand helpfully to the right.

Both Skeet and Wilt turned their heads and saw he was pointing to the edge of the circular piece of land. Down below the wide ledge was the lake bank near one of the waterfalls of Reepor; they could see the tops of the curved pipes curled around the short, rocky hills.

The three moved closer to the end of the ledge and peered over some rocks. Down below a vertical slope was indeed a spider thing- a metal spider thing to be exact.

"Geez, that thing's bigger than Clogg!" Wilt hissed, and the two ducked low. Bipedal figures were scattered around the place, some cowering before the large machine. A cruiser sat nearby and a high-pitched voice too far away to make out cut through the air.

Skeet squinted his eyes and looked closer at the source of the voice. Clogg, who was still standing and dangerously in plain sight, was dragged down to the cover by an irritated Wilt.

His younger brother gasped sharply and the other two looked to see what had caused it. Wilt's one eyes widened in alarm.

Standing upon the machine in a throne-like seat was a cragmite- a Cragmite Royal to be exact. They hadn't seen one of those tiny members of their race much, and it was astonishing to see one just pop out of the blue. Even if they weren't of true royal blood like the monarchy from the Great War, they still always had position of power. Just one of those things.

But why did he have a bunch of fish men...?

Then it clicked. Wilt snapped his fingers and looked at the others, "Its Emperor Tachyon!"

"Tachy-on?" Clogg muttered above them, trying the name out. "Taach?"

Skeet looked back at the angry royal upon his throne and shuddered a little. They continued watching the cowering fish men scuttled about, then run over to the pipes and started fiddling with them. Skeet frowned. "Those are the old power pipes."

"Guess they're getting an upgrade." Wilt shrugged. He noticed his brother's uneasy look and scowled. "What's up with you?"

Skeet kept his voice low, his hands set on the rocks hey sued for cover. "I don't know." He murmured, "But something about Tachyon just doesn't feel right."

Wilt groaned quietly to himself. "That's because you have nerves of jam, Skeet. And anyway if there was something dangerous about 'im I wouldn't be surprised. That's how we roll., ya know."

"Yeah, but I just don't like the look of him."

Wilt's face became oddly sincere as his brother continued watching the scene below fretfully. "It ain't got nothing to do with us. I suggest ya keep yer mouth shut about this kinda thing, Skeet."

He grabbed his brother's head and turned his towards him, so he could look in the eye. Skeet stared up at him quizzically. "I mean it. Now, let's get outa here."

He let go and scuttled away from the ledge, Clogg following behind him. Skeet joined them quietly after a moment.

"Oh, and If yer gonna babbled to Skii 'bout this, don't say it in front of Phobose. The last thing we need is the kid getin' scared again."

...

* * *

The moon had left to retreat behind a mountain, and the clouds had thickened a few hours later. The landscape was left pitch black. A fire, orange and yellow, blazed from a pile of wood heartily in the gloomy, cold place in the cover of a rocky overhang.

"Great."

Clogg, Wilt and Skeet where sat around the fire; Wilt lying on his side, Clogg looking ready to sleep. Skeet was alert, though, as a round-headed figure with a shoulder belt and armor-less shirt paced slowly back and forth.

Skii was almost the same height as him; with antler-like fics sporting from his head and flat features, much like a royal the Cragmte Assassin where.

The sarcastic cragmite hadn't taken to the new Emperor at all. They hadn't been exactly involved with the attack the Empire had after the cragmites leapt out of the Portal, so they hasn't really encountered him. But Skii just didn't like some people, and now the witty-voiced assassin had someone to be annoyed about.

"So he's the reason those fish men tripped me up ta-day."

"Ya got tripped up?"

Skii ignored Wilt and continued, "Not to mention the new stuff they're bringing in. Cragmites have never had allies and now we've got these fish runnin' around."

He rolled his eyes and folded his arms, finally coming to a stop. A few moments passed in silence, with only the crackling fire making a sound.

Sitting in front of Skeet near the warmth was a tiny cragmite royal; less than half the size of the Emperor they'd seen earlier. He was drawing a picture quite happily, a small small on his face.

But at the pause he looked up at Skii, who was glaring at the ground. He looked around at each of his uncles uncertainly before Skeet gave a small smile and petted him on the head.

"Don't worry, Phobose, Uncle Skii's just having a rant."

Skii shot his similar named companion a sharp look. Skeet looked away and changed the subject. "So...how long do you think it is- to back home from here, Skii? I never can tell without our ship."

Before their leader could answer, Wilt interrupted. "Man, I miss our ship. Remind me to skewer that crazy orange lombax."

Phobose nibbled on his fingers quietly beside Skeet. The small hunter glared at his brother for reminding him of that incident.

But then Phobose spoke, "I heard some-one say tha' a lombax with a lil' toaster stopped the fish men..."

His uncles stared at him blankly and he tilted his head plainly, as if toasters saved the universe on a daily basis.

He continued drawing his picture as Wilt gave a cough. "Well, then. That can be added to the list of odd occurrences in the universe."

"Like you, Wilt?"

Skii smirked slyly as Clogg and Skeet laughed at their friend's expense. Wilt scowled sourly at him, pursing his lips. "Funny, Skii. How am I gonna calm down from this hysterical state...?"

The laughter rang out from the lit hollow, and outside the night of Reepor dragged on.

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_Hope it wasn't a disaster. _


End file.
